313 



CPhleum pratense) 



It is very productive 



in the fore part of the season, and the foliage and cuhns are very nutritive ; but it runs much to 

 stalks, and the after-grass is very trifling. 



veined and Scotch stand llic ^Yintcr best. This phant impoverishes the soil very much; in collccUng the produce for consumption, 

 X\w phuiis should therefore be drawn up by the roots, and not merely cut over, as is often practised to the detriment of the soil. 

 These different varieties afford about equal quantities of nutritive matter. 



64 dr. of the Drum-headed Cabbage afford of nutritive matter, 140 grains. 

 Swedish Turnips are therefore inferior lo Cabbages in the quantity of nutritive matter they afford, m the proportion of 7 to 6; 

 and the common Field Turnip is inferior in the proportion of 7 to 4. Carrots are more nutritive than Cabbages, in the proportion 

 of9to7. 



3. Potatoes, (Solanum tuberosum). The varieties of the Potatoe are very numerous, ind the confusion of their names inex- 

 Iricable. Those most valued in the field-culture are the Ox-noble, Yam, Champion, Purple-red, Rough-red, Hundred-eyes, 



r 



\ orlisliire Kidney, and Moulton White. Though there is some difference of opinion respecting the time when this most valuable 

 root was first cultivated in Great Britain, as also of the individual to whom we are indebted for its introduction; yet the most 

 authentic records agree in giving the merit to the illustrious Sir Walter Raleigh, who brouglit it from Virginia in 15S4. ''The 

 President of the Royal Society/' Sir R, Southwell, "related that Potatoes were first introduced into Ireland by his grandfather, 

 ■v\ho had them from Sir Walter Raleigh, after his return from Virginia*. 



The culture of Potatoes is well kuosvn. They are a very impoverishing root to the soil. 



The \:im PoUtoe is very productive, attains to a large size, but is often hollow, and less nutritive than most others. 64 dr. 

 afford of nutritive matter 222 grains, which consist of starch 192 grains, and saccharine and albuminous matter 30, 



The Ox-noble is a very productive variety, contains more nutritive matter than the Yam, but less than several others. 64 dr. 

 afford 235 grains of nutritive matter, consisting of starch 198, and saccharine, mucilaginous, and albuminous matters 37. 



The Purple red Potatoe is smaller than the preceding, but well-flavoured and very prolific. 64 dr. afforded me 241 grains of 

 nutritive matter, which appeared lo consist of starch 204, albuminous and saccharine matters 37 grains. 



The Hundred-eye variety is very prolific on dry loams ; it contains rather more nutritive matter than the foregoing. 64 dr. 

 afford 276 grains of nutritive matter, which afforded, starch 216 grains, albuminous, and other matters 60. 



The Rough-red produces plentiful crops on soils of a molster nature than that adapted for the Hundred-eyed variety; it is 

 welUflavoured. 64 dr. afforded 308 grains of nutritive matter, which consisted of starch 252, and saccharine, mucilaginous, and 



albminous matters 56. 



Champion, this variety grows to a moderate size, is very productive, and but little subject to the cwrZ disease. 64 dr. con- 

 tain 378 grains of nutritive matter, consisting of starch 208, mucilage, sugar, and albumen 90. 



Carrots, fDaucus carotaj. The Garden, or cultivated Carrot, is supposed to be an accidental variety of the Wild Carrot, a 

 common weed in sandy loams, (sec Engl. Bot. 1174). There are four varieties of the common Carrot, distinguished by their 

 colour; as the Long-red, the Orange, the White, or Walcheren, and the Early-horn Carrot. The soil which answers to the 

 turnip-culture is likewise adapted for the Carrot; but it requires to be deeper. The highly nutritious nature of this root is well 

 known; it is excellent food for all sorts of cattle, particularly horses. Swine are said to fatten sooner on Carrots than on any 

 other kind of food, and the flesh is superior. The only objection to the general adoption of the cultivation of Carrots, is their 

 impoverishing effects on the soil, and the root does not succeed well if manure be applied with the crop. The most successful 

 mode I ever witnessed ofraising Carrots in the field, was precisely the same as that of Turnips, with the exception that no 

 manure was applied with the crop. The seeds were drilled on ridges, about the end of March, in dry weather, and on gaining 

 their fourth leaf, about the middle of May, were thinned out, and first-hoed, vacancies being filled up by transplanting from the 

 crowded spots. The produce about 300 bushels per acre. The Long-red Carrot is the most productive, but the Orange variety 

 is more certain for a crop. Carrots are superior to Turnips, in being more nutritive, more hardy, and less suhject to disease, and 

 continue good till a later period in the spring. But their effects on the soil unfit them for alternation as a green crop with grain. 

 The expense of reaping the produce is also greater than that of Turnips. The growers of this root affirm, that one acre of it will 

 feed as many cattle as three of Turnips, which exactly agrees with the comparative weight of nutritive matter afforded per acre. 

 Carrots being superior to Turnips as 3 to L 64 dr. afforded 187 grains of nutritive matter, 100 grains of which, according to Sir 



H Davy consist of sugar 95, mucilage 3, and extract f. 

 ' The White Carrot appears to contain more sugar. 04 dr. afforded 190 grains of nutritive matter, 100 of which gave sugar 



L 



98, mucilage 2, and extract 1. 



* Minutes of the Royal Society, December 13, 1^93. 



h 



4 L • 



